Haryana Assembly polls: Ex-BJP MLA joins Congress

New Delhi: With the departure of former Kalanwali legislator Balkaur Singh from the BJP and his followers' joining of the Congress, the Congress gained ground in the Sirsa district of Haryana on Saturday.

Block Chairman, Zila Parishad members and 40 Sarpanches and former Sarpanches, who came with him, expressed faith in the Congress.

All of them joined the Congress under the leadership of former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state party chief Chaudhary Udaibhan.

Congress MLA and candidate from Kalanwali, Sheeshpal Singh was among those present.

Hooda said Balkaur Singh has taken the right decision at the right time.

"This decision will oust the BJP from power and increase the majority of the Congress. He and his colleagues will be given full respect in the Congress party," he said.

Chaudhary Udaibhan also welcomed them to the party and said the BJP has spoiled the atmosphere of the state.

"Today, due to the anti-people policies of the BJP rule, all sections, including farmers, wrestlers and soldiers, are troubled. This time the public will uproot the BJP and show it the way out of power," he said.

Balkaur Singh said Shishpal Singh had won from Kalanwali by 20,000 votes in the 2019 Assembly polls and this time "we will ensure his victory by 50,000 votes".

Along with former legislator Balkaur Singh, Block Committee Chairman Gurdas Singh, Sirsa District Zila Parishad member Satgur Dhaliwal and others joined the Congress.

Earlier, sitting BJP legislator from Ratia (SC), Lakshman Dass Napa quit from all positions in the party after being denied a ticket. He later joined the Congress after meeting Hooda.

After being denied tickets for the October 5 Assembly elections, scores of BJP functionaries, including two ministers, one legislator, former ministers, and party leaders, announced their resignation on Thursday, a day after the state's ruling party announced its first list of 67 candidates.

The ministers in the Nayab Singh Saini-led government who quit include Energy Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala and Minister of State for Social Justice Bishamber Singh Balmiki.

Chautala, who contested the 2019 Assembly elections as an Independent but was later inducted into the Cabinet, announced his decision to resign as Minister as well as from the primary membership of the BJP after meeting his supporters in Rania.

BJP's key OBC leader Karan Dev Kamboj, who was denied a ticket from Indri, also resigned from all party posts.

With inputs from IANS